


Zombie Apocalypse Survival How-To

by kagedyams



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Zombie Apocalypse, Blood and Gore, Everyone is Dead, Gen, Graphic Description of Corpses, Suicide, Zombie Apocalypse, i swear i didnt want to write this, im really sorry that this is a thing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-05
Updated: 2016-03-19
Packaged: 2018-05-24 22:32:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,041
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6169138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kagedyams/pseuds/kagedyams
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kinoshita’s eyes flickered to the abrasion, regarding it with disinterest, as if his arm wasn’t oozing with the threat of infection. “My dog bit me,” Kinoshita mumbled, head lounging forth and collapsing against the crook between Narita’s neck and shoulder blade. Narita could feel the heated exhales of his companion’s labored breathing against his exposed skin, and he hiccuped softly as he relinquished his grasp on Kinoshita’s aggrieved arm. The realization that Kinoshita didn’t own a dog had vaguely dawned on him before Narita felt a penetrating puncture in the hollow conjunction of his neck and shoulder. </p><p>(Because high school volleyball teams aren't meant to survive an apocalypse)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Infection

It came as unexpected as a typhoon in December. Perhaps the arrival of this catastrophic event could’ve been foreshadowed, had not the average teenager already looked like a zombie. And while most students existing in the void between Monday and Friday shared only a vague semblance with the undead, Hisashi Kinoshita looked like he belonged in the Thriller music video.

 

It was only Tuesday.

 

It was only Tuesday and Kinoshita looked for all the world like he’d rather be chilling in the grave he was forced out of. His eyes always held that disconcerting look, but today his eerie eyes were sunk into the hollows created by his sleep disparity. Kinoshita had been complaining all day to Narita about how little he had slept the past few days, spouting off nonsense about weird dreams and a midnight case of the munchies. Narita had just half-heartedly assured him that it was only nerves from the upcoming Nationals tournament. Having been used to living on coffee and stoner-like symptoms that all high schoolers faced, Kinoshita brushed it off as well.

 

It was only Tuesday and Kinoshita had barely lasted the school day without passing out. He heavily contemplated ditching afternoon practice in favor of gaining some much-needed rest, but he vetoed that. He was still haunted by the guilt of quitting club with the former Coach Ukai, and with nationals creeping up on them they needed all the practice they could get. Even if Kinoshita had not even the slightest chance of seeing playtime at the tournament, he at least wanted to cheer the others on.  
Everyone could tell something was off with the second year the moment he entered the clubroom, slumped over the doorknob as he pushed open the door. Ennoshita’s eyes roved over his friend’s sickly and pale body, worry and trepidation shining in his irises. Hastily pulling on his Karasuno jersey, he approached his comrade. “You okay, Kinoshita?” He asked hesitantly, unsure how to tell his buddy, ‘you look like Asahi after he was forced into watching the entire Saw series’.

 

Luckily for Ennoshita, he didn’t have to voice that thought to Kinoshita, because someone else already had. “Dude, did you try to crowd surf at opening ceremony again, because I told you last time the only one who could pull that off is Noya,” Tanaka intervened, clearly not reading the somber mood as he slung his arm around Kinoshita’s shoulder. Almost immediately, Kinoshita stumbled to the side under the weight of Tanaka’s arm, and he would’ve fallen over if not for the aforementioned wing spiker catching him.

 

“Dude?” He asked, finally realizing how cold Kinoshita’s body was, his veins prominent under his paper white skin. “Are you sure you should be here, bro? You look like you need to go home.” Tanaka said as Ennoshita and Narita rushed to his side, helped their comrade to shakily regain balance.

 

“‘S fine, I just need to sit down for a moment,” Kinoshita mumbled, speech slightly slurred as his head lolled forward. His pupils were dilated and glazed over, and it looked like he couldn’t quite see the worried faces of the entire Karasuno volleyball team in front of him. With the help of the others, Kinoshita sat on the bench in the corner, heavily resting against the wall as his eyes partially shut. Sweat accumulated on Kinoshita’s brow and neck, glistening under the harsh fluorescent lights of the clubroom. It only accentuated the deathly pallor of his skin as he rolled up the sleeves of his high school uniform. The room felt like a coffin encasing him, and the claustrophobic space made him feel like he was on fire, inhaling rapidly in short little breaths that only hurried his anxiety.

 

“You're looking really hot. Are you able to get changed?” Ennoshita asked from where he was hovering near him, adjusting the sleeves of his jacket awkwardly. He really ought to call the nurse, or maybe at this point even an ambulance. Kinoshita’s behavior showed no signs of improvement as he grappled with his blazer, clumsily pulling at the arms as he struggled to emancipate himself from the article of clothing. Luckily, Narita approached him and calmly helped him slide out of the material, discarding it haphazardly to the side. Kinoshita fumbled with the buttons of his collared shirt, once again finding himself at the mercy of his teammate’s help as Narita deftly separating the buttons from their respective holes. Many of the regulars had left the clubroom at Suga’s behest, who believed that their presence would only ail Kinoshita further.  
Isolated in the room, the three non-regular second years were the only ones left in the spacious chamber. Ennoshita attempted to avert his eyes from the sight of Narita helping Kinoshita undress, feeling as if he had invaded on something a bit too private. He almost kicked himself for that thought; Kinoshita looked like he was dragged across the entirety of the Miyagi Prefecture by a bear and he was worrying about witnessing some steamy love scene? The hesitance of Ennoshita was palpable, and Narita was quick to pick up on it.

 

He turned to face his friend, continuing to unbutton Kinoshita’s shirt without looking. “You go on ahead to practice, we might be here a little longer until Kinoshita can move.” He suggested, and Ennoshita was almost glad for the offer of reprieve. Bowing slightly, Ennoshita hastily yanked on his kneepads and exited the clubroom, leaving the two in absolute silence. The only sound was the slight rustling of cotton as Narita aided Kinoshita in removing the chemise, adding it to the accumulating pile of articles with his blazer. As he moved to help his friend into his volleyball tee shirt, he noticed a bruised affliction on Kinoshita’s right wrist. Dropping the shirt with abandon, Narita grabbed at his elbow, yanking his arm from his side so he could fully inspect the wound.

 

“What happened to you?” Narita demanded, temporarily ignoring the coldness of Kinoshita’s skin as he scrutinized the injury. It was ovular in appearance, with various indentations around the perimeter, which sunk deeper than the rest of the lesion. Dried blood bubbled in these crevices, a purplish bruising lacing the edges of the lacerations. It looked for the entire world like something had tried to take a rather ravenous bite out of him.

 

Kinoshita’s eyes flickered to the abrasion, regarding it with disinterest, as if his arm wasn’t oozing with the threat of infection. “My dog bit me,” Kinoshita mumbled, head lounging forth and collapsing against the crook between Narita’s neck and shoulder blade. Narita could feel the heated exhales of his companion’s labored breathing against his exposed skin, and he hiccupped softly as he relinquished his grasp on Kinoshita’s aggrieved arm. The realization that Kinoshita didn’t own a dog had vaguely dawned on him before Narita felt a penetrating puncture in the hollow conjunction of his neck and shoulder.

 

It was only Tuesday, and Narita realized he had homework due tomorrow.


	2. Second Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ukai maintained their position a moment longer, their foreheads pressed together as he simply watched his closed eyelids, willing them to open once more, willing him to grin up at Ukai and tell him it was all a dream, a joke, a sick delusion.  
> They didn’t open. They never did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a warning: lots of blood and gore (if the tags didn't give it away). This chapter also features a little bit of eye gore, so be prepared

Practice that day was not an enjoyable experience. Despite the best efforts of Daichi and the over-energetic second-year duo, the tense air permeated the gym as Hinata missed spike after spike. Kageyama had yelled at him a total of 9 times so far, and practice wasn’t even half over. Sensei had excused himself 10 minutes prior, spouting some nonsense about collecting some work he had left in the teacher’s office. Now Ukai was alone, watching as his team was crushed under the weight of worry and apprehension. Daichi had notified him that Narita had stayed behind in the clubroom tending to a sickened Kinoshita, and he wondered how much longer this team would last.  
  
Consternation growing as the wall clock ticked away the seconds, restlessness stirred inside Ukai as he shifted his feet nervously. Kiyoko gazed at him curiously, studying his apprehensive expression without saying a thing. She quietly approached him, pulling the clipboard from his hands. Ukai snapped out of his disquieting reverie, gazing down at the third-year manager. She nodded, as if reading his thoughts, wordlessly excusing him from his post. Ukai bent his head down in a half-bow and quickly exited the gym, Yachi watching the exchange in mild confusion before Hinata called her back.  
  
Ukai’s steps were long and hurried as he raked his hand through his hair, sending his hairband askew. At this point he could care less for appearances, the foreboding feeling gnawing at his ribcage was far more prominent. By the time he had reached the clubroom, the coach was practically sprinting. Without even thinking to knock, he slammed the door open, brown eyes surveying the room, which stank of sweat and pubescent boys. When his eyes fell to the bench in the junction of the room, his pupils all but disappeared at the horrid sight.  
  
Kinoshita was slumped on the bench, his head rolled forward and his legs splayed out. His usually rowdy blonde hair looked impossibly more raucous, sticking out thinly at impossible angles. His bangs were matted to the sweat clinging to his forehead, and patches off it were even missing from the back of his head. He followed a clump as it detached itself from his skull and free-floated to the ground. It settled in a pool of liquid, quickly dying the shock of blonde a dark red. If Kinoshita’s appearance had alarmed Ukai, the sight of the body below him could send him into cardiac arrest.  
  
Blood pooled around the floor of the bench, absorbed into the sweatpants of a kneeling boy. His body was propped against the chest of another, his shaved head resting on the thigh of the latter. Ukai’s eyes were dragged to a gash in his neck, dyed dark crimson as it dripped into the accumulating puddle below.  
  
If there was one thing Ukai wasn’t expecting to find on a Tuesday evening, it was two conjoined bodies of his players, bloodied and quite possibly dead. The bones in Ukai’s legs must have run for cover, because he could feel his knees give out as he collapsed onto his hands. Bile rose up to this throat and he could feel the acidic tang of upchuck as he rid himself of his lunch. He could feel the warm liquid coat his hands, only spurring more vomit to find itself littering the already contaminated floor. There was already one bodily fluid coating the surface, why not add one more? When Ukai was quite sure he had disposed three days worth of food, he wiped his mouth hastily, only smearing more of the expel on his cheek and lips. His throat was raw from the action and tears stung the corners of his eyes. His headband had escape his ragged hair and lay snugly in the amassing pool. He kept his eyes trained on the dirtied ground, refusing to look at the horrid sight in front of him. If he didn’t see it, maybe it didn’t exist and this was all just some perverse delusion resting in Ukai’s tumultuous mind.  
  
But it wasn’t illusion, as Ukai was soon to discover, when he heard the deep-throated moan, which echoed through the walls of the clubroom. His whole body was trembling as he shakily raised his head, eyes quivering in their sockets as he raised his irises to the origin of the sound. Kinoshita’s head had swayed back, Adam’s apple furiously protruding as his head went so far back it seemed to be on the verge of snapping. In fact, Ukai could swear he hid a distinct crack in the midst of the gargled groaning. His heart was beating so fast it was on the verge of escaping his chest and joining the revolting solution on the floor, but his eyes were trained on the heaving heap in the corner. The distorted body of Kinoshita spasmed horridly, body shaking so hard that Narita’s putrid corpse slid off his thighs and collapsed into the sea of crimson face-first. Ukai stayed as still as he could, watching as Kinoshita supported himself on his feet, wobbling slightly and splashing blood on the nearest gym bag. He stumbled, staggering to the side on uneasy feet as his arms hung limply by his sides. Kinoshita was naked from the waist up, and his stomach and pants were soaked in blood, and when Kinoshita finally jerked his head forward, he realized his face was too.  
  
Gore tinted his lips like a dense gloss, covering the surface in the dried plasma that dribbled down his chin and joined the puddle on the floor. Kinoshita’s mouth was held half-agape, exposing cerise teeth coated in chunks of thin flesh, and Ukai felt like throwing up all over again. Kinoshita’s cat-like irises had retreated to the back of his skull, and the fleshy white-pink of his sclera ingrained itself in Ukai’s retinas, evoking an involuntary shiver. Desperate to break this eye contact, the coach shifted his eyes, focusing on a discolored mark left on Kinoshita’s right wrist, encircled by pallid skin, which further accentuated its prominence. It looked like a deranged animal had gnawed at his skin. And judging by the appearance of the two boys, his conjecture didn’t seem to be far off.  
  
The only thought that circulated in Ukai’s dazed mind was zombies.  
  
Fucking. Zombies.  
  
Insane as it sounded, it was the only plausible excuse for why Kinoshita just murdered his own teammate. It was also a laudable reason for why Kinoshita, drenched in blood and looking like a ghost, was slowly advancing towards Ukai.  
  
The realization that he was in extreme danger hit Ukai like a freight train, and he found himself scrambling to his feet and moving back towards the door. He felt the cold surface of the door rub against his sweaty back, and he groped helplessly behind him as he sought out the door knob. His other hand reached for a wooden bat resting near the door. Why was a baseball bat residing in a volleyball clubroom? Ukai would never know. Right now there were more pressing matters to attend to, and that was matter was Hisashi Kinoshita.  
  
His walk was lopsided, knees shaking with every quaky step towards his coach. His feet slipped and slid on the blood and puke on the floor, further stalling him as Ukai twisted at the door, yanking it open. When Kinoshita was directly in front of him, Ukai raised the bat, squeezing his eyes shut so tight that he could see white splotches, and swung down.  
  
There was an ugly sound of a cracking skull, followed by a dull thump that echoed around the club room, accompanied with a splash of vomit that lapped at Ukai’s pants. Warmth pervaded Ukai’s face in the form of splotchy liquid and his nose was filled with the iron smell of blood and the fresh scent of decay. Ukai didn’t dare think of the blood and bits of bone and gore which dotted his body. Dropping the bat, which had now cracked under the pressure of bashing open a skull, he quickly escaped the clubroom, slamming the door and pulling out the keys to lock it. Ukai’s fight or flight instinct had put him in autopilot, and that reflex called for him to get as far away from the scene as soon as humanly possible.  
  
Ukai was taking the stairs down from the clubroom two at a time, stumbling and tripping over seemingly nothing, when he suddenly paused. Takeda-sensei had vanished a full half hour ago, presumably more now. Worry mounted in his brain, and despite all animalistic instincts screaming for him to run for the fucking hills, he couldn’t stop his feet from automatically running in the direction of the school. He burst through the door, running down the hallways, the only evidence of his presence being the trail of blood left in his wake. His lungs are on the verge of collapsing and his hears beating so fast its practically not beating at all, but adrenaline pushed him forward like the winds of a midsummer typhoon. He’s thankful many students had left, because he had no intention of being stopped by anyone. And he wasn’t enthused by the idea of others seeing him running at inhuman speed coated in the lifeblood of his own student.  
  
Yes, Kinoshita was his pupil.  
  
Kinoshita was someone Ukai had taught, mentored, motivated. Kinoshita was a child who came to practice every day willing to improve, willing to try his best even if he had no chance at National playtime. Kinoshita was a second-year with hopes, dreams, aspirations, fears, desires.  
  
Kinoshita was dead.  
  
Ukai’s movements halted, almost tripping over his own feet due to the abrupt stop. He laid a hand against the wall for leverage, heaving from exertion as he struggled to catch his breath. A tear escaped his eye, mixing with the blood on his face and causing a diluted red splash on the floor beneath him.  
  
Ukai had killed his own trainee.  
  
The weight of the ordeal had finally settled in his half-deluded mind. It was true that Kinoshita was beyond gone already, but that didn’t change the fact that he bashed out the brains of his own player. He shifted so he rested his back against the wall, sliding down partially. He had murdered somebody, a minor, no less, and a friend. Just the thought itself caused tears to itch at his eyes and overflow. Ukai cursed the treachery of his feelings. He was an adult, goddammit; he needed to do something useful instead of crying, like calling the police, or finding Sensei.  
  
_Sensei. ___  
  
The smiling face of the volleyball advisor invaded his mind, filling it with images of a teacher always eager to learn. If anyone could help, it would be him. Sure, Takeda-sensei was weak and would probably faint just seeing Ukai’s appearance, but Ukai was convinced that he was the only one who could help with this situation.  
Regaining his footing, he persisted in resting his hand against the wall as he continued to move forward, albeit much more slowly than before. He was much nearer his destination, but fatigue was weighing heavily upon him and all he wanted to do was close his eyes and call the whole ordeal a lucid dream. He trailed a slimy wetness across the wall as he used his hand as leverage, stumbling along to the teachers’ office. At this time in the afternoon, it should be mostly deserted. Takeda had mentioned he had matters to attend to in the office, so surely he would still be there.  
  
The door to the office was slightly ajar, and Ukai nudged it open with his shoulder as he blundered into the room, nearly knocking over a tedious stack of papers and also maybe a desk. The room was deserted, Ukai noticed, as his frantic eyes scrutinized every inch of the room. Had Takeda already went back to the gym? Ukai took a tentative step further into the room, and he could swear he heard a slight whine as the floorboards creaked inconspicuously.  
  
Ukai strained his ears, attempting to catch the sound once more. He did. It was a low whine that punctuated the air of quiet and calm of the office. Ukai shifted towards the sound cautiously, grabbing the nearest weapon he could find in the room. It was a pencil. But the point was sharp and it was of a considerable length, so he figured if there was immediate danger he’d be relatively safe. Continuing his vigilant advance, Ukai stalked to the other side of the room where he found a figure, hunched protectively in the corner of the room. Ukai immediately dropped the pencil.  
  
Curly brown hair stuck out from the head buried in the knees of the person. His hands were gripping his hair rather forcefully, almost as if they were ready to pull the roots out from his skull. He was rocking slightly, curled in the fetal position with a heaving chest and noises that sounded suspiciously like sobs.  
  
Ukai dropped down so he was kneeling in front of his comrade, trying to peek under the mop of curls to see the face of the advisor. “Takeda-sensei?” He asked cautiously, moving a hand forward. Takeda’s movements immediately stilled, hands falling away from his cranium and landing limply at his sides. His head rose, and Ukai’s gaze was met by the bloodshot eyes of the teacher. His pupils were incredibly small, almost nonexistent in the vast expanse of red veins covering a wet white orb. Tear tracks shone in the fluorescent lighting, and even more of the droplets glimmered in Takeda’s eyes. The sight took Ukai aback, and his breathing hitched at the sight. Sure, Takeda was pretty fragile, but he had never seen him looking this awful.  
  
When Takeda finally recognized Ukai’s presence, his eyes widened impossibly so. His mouth flapped open and shut uselessly, choking on words that couldn’t quite form in his throat. He reached out a hand, and Ukai could only watch in confusion. But finally, one tense word rang out in the room, the cracked voice of an adult reverberating through the air.  
  
“Run!”  
  
The words hadn’t quite processed in Ukai’s mind before there were hands on his throat, breaking off his access to air abruptly. He gasped, eyes bugging out as he tried to grasp the situation. The limbs encircling his gullet were cold and calloused as they constricted his windpipes, causing Ukai to gulp uselessly as he tried to gather oxygen. Ukai lost balance and fell onto his back, dragging his assailant with him. His hands groped at the strong hands confining him, clawing desperately for liberation. Black dots formed in the corners of his vision, slowly encompassing him and overtaking his senses. The image of Takeda directly above him, blue veins protruding from his cheeks and his neck, was ingrained in his mind as his cognizance dulled and his sight swam. His grip on Takeda’s hand slackened, and he dropped his hands to his side helplessly.  
  
Just as he was ready to succumb to this odd feeling of drowning, he felt something brush against his pinky. He gripped it weakly, feeling the wood of the pencil under his grip. Summoning the last ounces of his strength, he pulled back his arm and lodged it forward towards his aggressor.  
  
Immediately the clutch on his neck released, and a harsh cry of pain resonated through the space. Ukai inhaled sharply, panting hard as he filled his lungs once more. He crab walked backwards away from Takeda’s body, curled forward as his hands covered his face, blood seeping through his fingers and onto the floor. Ukai caught the eraser end of the pencil sticking out between the fingers, obviously still lodged into where he had jammed it in.  
  
Takeda’s soaked fingers curled around the wooden rod, gingerly pulling at the pencil lodged into his flesh. After a full minute of loud cries and constant yelps of pain, the pencil came out with a final spurt of gore. When it was discarded and Takeda looked back up at Ukai, he realized he had wedged it into his eyeball.  
  
When Takeda raised his gaze, Ukai gagged a little at the horrid sight. The inflicted eye was half-shut, the white peeking out was stained with globs of crimson that flowed past his eyelid and dribbled down his cheek. His white button-down was quickly tinted a garish shade of burgundy, and Ukai wished more than anything to bring it back to its pristine, white state.  
  
He raised himself up to his feet as the sensei continued to nurse his wound, moaning at the loss of his eye. Keeping himself watchful in case the incapacitated Takeda attacked once more, he scanned the room for anything that could aid him. Shuffling backwards towards the windows, he fidgeted with the curtains, untying them and claiming two of the ties for himself. Takeda was still hunched over when he approached, only looking up when Ukai was directly upon him. When Ukai crouched down before the teacher, he immediately made a grab for his neck, causing blood to spurt out from his eye. Ukai winced at the squirting noise that accompanied it, but he managed to hold his former friend back as he gripped both of Takeda-sensei’s hands in his own, wrapping the tie around them securely. When he was done with that job, he proceeded to do the same with his feet. When Ukai rolled up the legs of his pants, he noticed an ovular lesion on the outside of his calf, mirroring the injury on Kinoshita’s wrist. He averted his eyes quickly as he tied the ribbon snugly around the both of Takeda’s ankles.  
  
Leaning back, he observed his work. Without the pressure of Takeda’s hand on his eye, blood oozed freely from the injury in bulky beads. His mouth was curled up in a snarl as trickles of drool leaked from the corner of his mouth. This wasn’t Takeda-sensei anymore. It was a simple feral beast.  
  
Ukai moved away again, turning his back to Takeda for the first time since he entered the office. Nearing the desk of a teacher, he sifted through the contents, searching for anything of use. His hand met the cool metal blade of scissors, and he gripped it tightly in his right hand. He could feel Takeda’s eye trailing him as he crossed the room, but he shook off the uneasy feeling that crawled up his spine. Takeda’s whines and groans had silenced, and Ukai was grateful for that. He feared for his sanity if he continued to hear the evidence of the teacher in pain. Adjusting the grip of the scissors in his sticky hands, he situated himself near Takeda. Forcing his legs down, he straddled his thighs with determination as Takeda’s back was forced against the wall. Placing one hand on the wall beside Takeda’s head, he drew back his arm, pointing the sharpened blade of the scissors at Takeda’s chest. Takeda’s untainted eye was trained on him, his gaze wavering as the dreaded snarl fell off his fact; realizing Ukai’s intentions he began to struggle in his bonds. Ukai quickly moved his free hand to pin Takeda’s shoulder to the wall, his other hand shaking wildly with the nerves and the thought of oh god, I’m about to kill my friend.  
  
Having killed another person a mere twenty minutes beforehand, he had considered himself dehumanized enough to be able to kill another. But that look in Takeda’s eye caused his entire resolution to crumple. How could he kill him? How could he kill the man who begged him daily to help out his school? How could he kill the teacher who was so beloved by his students? How could he kill the advisor who eagerly learned every rule in volleyball just to help some teenaged boys?  
How could he kill his best friend?  
  
Takeda’s resistance under Ukai had deteriorated, effectively snapping Ukai out of his reverie. When he focused once more on Takeda’s face, he almost gasped in shock.  
  
Takeda was smiling. The blood from his eye had suffused the side of his mouth, but the smile he gave Ukai was the same he always saw. The smile that told the boys “good work today!” The smile that Ukai had glimpsed every time Karasuno scored in a match. The same smile he held when he said, “See you tomorrow, Ukai-kun!”  
  
Ukai gulped, almost dropping the scissors as a wave of weakness overcame him. This wasn’t a rabid dog. This was his comrade, teammate, companion. This was Takeda Ittetsu.  
  
“It’s okay, Ukai-kun,” Takeda said softly, the same smile pasted on his pale face. The color was draining fast, an ashen flush overtaking him. His voice quavered, hinting at the pain he was in and the fact that he was once again on the verge of tears. They overflowed quickly, falling onto his lap. Ukai lowered the scissors, using his newly freed hand to wipe them again. They were cold. “Please, Ukai-kun, end this?” he offered, tears flowing faster now. Ukai moved his hand to wipe the blood from the other side of his face, smearing it along his cheek in the process.  
  
“I can’t, Takeda-sensei. Please, I don’t want to hurt you” Ukai pleaded, tears now affecting the edges of his eyes as well. Takeda wanted nothing more than to cup his cheeks, console him and soothe his worries. But it was too late for that.  
  
“It’s okay,” Takeda reiterated, his warm chocolate eyes piercing Ukai’s. “I’m a monster now, see? I can’t control myself. Even now, I want nothing more than to taste your flesh. Please, Ukai-kun, I don’t want to live like this. I know it’s selfish, but how can I face the team when I’ve become like this? How can I stay here, confined, only to think of how much I want to bite something? Please, don’t let me continue on like this, please I-“ the rest of his words were cut off by a wave of sobs that wracked his entire body. Ukai’s figure shook as he held it in as best he could. This was his best friend’s last wish, how could be so selfish as to deny him an honorable death?  
  
Hesitantly, he extricated his hand from Takeda’s face, once more gripping the scissors. Yanking back his arm, he harshly moved it forward until it was dug up to the hilt in Takeda’s chest, nestled between the confines of his ribcage. Takeda jerked forward, coughing once and spattering blood against Ukai’s tee. He quickly let go, unwilling to once more be associated with the hideous weapon that was moments away from robbing Takeda of his life.  
  
Blood dribbled down Takeda’s mouth as his chest heaved desperately. He looked back up at Ukai, his grin still there. It was weak now, disappearing as quickly as his life.  
  
Ukai rested his forehead against Takeda’s, gazing into the eye which was slowly losing his color. “I’m sorry, Takeda-sensei. I wish—I wish I could’ve saved you. I wish I had been there to help you, to stop this. Sensei, I’m sorry,” he said, tears falling. They landed on Takeda’s cheeks, sliding down and mixing with the blood.  
“It’s okay, Ukai-kun. I’m glad it was you who had to do this.” He said, voice strained as he coughed once more. “Thank you, Ukai-kun” he breathed out quietly, before he shut his eyes and his fidgeting stopped.

Ukai maintained their position a moment longer, their foreheads pressed together as he simply watched Takeda’s closed eyelids, willing them to open once more, willing him to grin up at Ukai and tell him it was all a dream, a joke, a sick delusion.  
  
They didn’t open. They never did.  
  
The cold of Takeda’s skin finally reach Ukai, sending an involuntary chill down his back. He pulled away at last, averting his eyes from the immobile body of his friend, still tied up with scissors lodged into his chest. He didn’t want to acknowledge what he had done. There was no way he could. Takeda was wrong. Takeda wasn’t the monster. Ukai was.  
  
He left the scene quickly, refusing to stay longer in the claustrophobic space. With reckless abandon, he once more set off down the hallway at a brisk run, destination clear in his mind. With Takeda gone, there was no one left to look after the Karasuno Volleyball Club; no one to warn them of the impending doom the world faced. No one to tell them that their sensei was dead.  
  
The paternal instinct kick-started, he burst into the gym, gasping heavily. He noticed the students beginning to clean up, picking up the numerous volleyballs littering the floor and folding up the volleyball nets. Everyone collectively turned at his entrance, surprised by the loud slam of the door and Ukai’s heavy breathing. The moment they realized the state he was in, they dropped everything and ran over.  
  
“Coach, what happened?” Daichi asked hurriedly, taking in the enlarged spots of blood, bone and gore littering his body. He thought he glimpsed Hinata retreating to the corner to retch.  
  
“We have to get you guys out of here,” Ukai gasped out, still struggling to regain his breath. Between all the running and almost being murdered twice in an hour’s period of time, Ukai had every right to be on the verge of collapse. Luckily, Kiyoko found herself at his side, holding a water bottle up to his lips. He gulped it down, for once realizing how dry his throat felt.  
  
“Huh? Get out? Why?” Nishinoya asked, peeking out earnestly from behind Asahi, who was looking anywhere but at Ukai’s bloodstained body.  
“It might sound a little crazy, but I think the world is ending. Based on what I saw, I’d say it must’ve gotten pretty out of hand by now,” Ukai sighed, raking his hand through his matted down hair, trailing bits of gore through his bleached strands.  
  
“From what you saw?” Ennoshita parroted back. “Kinoshita looked really bad before, was he…” he trailed off, daring not to finish the sentence. Ukai’s grave nod was answer enough, and everyone looked down. Solemnity hung in the air as the weight of the situation came crashing down upon the teens. There was no way Ukai could fabricate this story, not when he looked like he had just returned from a war.  
  
“Sensei too. We better leave for someplace safe and out of the way. We can’t use the clubroom so we can only take what’s here now.” Ukai explained, moving towards a half-dismantled volleyball net pole. He disconnected the two rods, claiming one for himself as he weighed it in his hand. It was much less inclined to break in his hand than a wooden bat. Daichi was quick on the uptake, and he claimed the second half of the rod for his own, his hands quivering slightly as realization hit him that yes, this was happening. The others followed suit, sifting through the gym until they found objects; a metal bat hidden away in the crevice of the gym closet, a wooden broom, a hammer. Some were more hesitant to grab weapons than others, but within the course of a few minutes everyone was equipped. Ukai was ready to bark more orders at his players when he felt the gaze of a very pale first year.  
  
“Coach?” Hinata started, fingers trembling around the mop in his hands. Ukai nodded him to continue, watching as the ginger looked down and stated his request. “Umm, well my sister is probably home from school now and since it’s the apocalypse I’m kinda worried about her and-“ he paused, squeezing his eyes shut before he bent himself in half to bow to his coach. “Please let me go and get her!” He begged.  
  
“No,” was Ukai’s lightning-fast response, and Hinata’s eyes opened and gazed up at him in disbelief. The question of ‘Why’ was already upon his lips when Ukai continued. “It’s too dangerous, especially for someone your size. Plus your house is across the mountain; it’ll take too long to reach her. At this point, zombies are probably everywhere. I can’t afford to lose anyone else,” Ukai stated matter-of-factly.  
  
“Coach, please! She’s so young and-and she probably has no clue what’s happening! I can’t just leave her to die while I run off to safety! Please, I’m begging you!” Hinata said, tears threatening his eyes. His image overlapped that of Takeda’s, hearing his cry of ‘please, Ukai-kun’ in his mind. He shook it away as he refocused his attention on the misty-eyed middle blocker.  
  
“Go into the gym closet. All of you!” He barked. Everyone scrambled to obey him, moving to one of the empty doors nestled in the side of the gym. When they were all there with their weapons and confused faces, Ukai shut the door and locked them in.  
  
Immediately he heard the sound of running steps as the teenagers banged against the door, yanking against the handle with indignant cries of “Hey!” and “Coach!” Ukai ignored them  
  
“Wait there for a little while, I should be back in two hours. Whatever happens, do not open the door, got it?” He said sternly. Silence ensued.  
  
“Where are you going?” A voice demanded. It sounded like Daichi.  
  
“Well someone’s family is in danger, right? I gotta go rescue the princess.” Ukai stated as he left the gym.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops. 
> 
> Sorry for all the gore, if you couldn't tell my only two writing talents are extreme gore/angst or extreme crack/smut. I chose to make this angst and gore.  
> I may go back and revise Takeda's scene, but right now I'm just too lazy and I don't want to look my terrible writing in the eye yet.
> 
> Once again, thanks to my awesome betas Ranjani and Kat, this would be an even bigger mess without them. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	3. Third Tragedy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It wasn’t even a half a minute after the bizarre noise when the door to the gym burst open. Everyone started, jumping to their feet and readying their weapons. The only noise filling the terse silence was the echo of the gym door slamming into the wall and the harsh breathing of Asahi and the Hinatas. Under the rays of the dying sun, a very familiar form could be made out.  
> “Sis?” Came a surprised voice from the back.

The journey to Hinata’s house wasn’t a particularly long one. After unlocking his bike from the rack situated near the school’s entrance, he quickly strapped on his helmet and sped off down the road. Time was not his ally and Hinata’s house was across a mountain, so needless to say Ukai was worrying just a little. He almost fell of the bike more times than he’d care to admit as he raced carelessly around curves and into potholes. He kept his gaze straight ahead, not willing to look at the mess of a world that he would inevitably find if he lost his focus. It took him all of an hour to cross the mountain and arrive at Hinata’s house. As coach, he was supplied with the addresses of all the players as well as an emergency phone number, which he made sure to keep on hand at all times. When he reached the front yard of the Hinata household, he discarded his bike and hastily jogged towards the front door, ringing the doorbell impatiently. He wasn’t about to be spotted by the undead and forced into another confrontation. He shifted the metal pole secured to his back by rope found in the gym, ensuring it was safe in its resting place. When nobody opened the door, he rang again, even knocking against the door. Still, nobody came.  
  
And then he heard a scream.  
  
The moment he caught the girlish scream of a child, he withdrew the metal pole and kicked at the door. Because part of the door was made of Shoji, it was fairly easy to knock it over with simple brute strength. Whispering an apology to the homeowner, he stalked into the house, eyes shifting around suspiciously as he searched for the source of that dissonant squeal. He located it near the bathroom when he heard an aggressive clamor. His blood froze in his veins at his sight.  
  
A small girl of no more than 9 years was huddled in the corner, shaking madly as tears streamed down her eyes. Ukai immediately recognized her as Hinata’s sister just by the shock of orange hair resting on her head. Before her was an older woman, with matching hair of a darker color. Ukai could only guess that was her mother. But why would she be screeching just at the sight of her own parent?  
  
Ukai realized the moment she was alerted of his presence. She turned her gaze sharply, bloodshot eyes settling on him. Her skin was pale and the veins seemed ready to pop out of her arms. She pulled back her top lip to snarl at him, flashing him her teeth, His grip on the metal pole intensified, and he shifted slowly around Hinata’s mother. She dared not move, only keeping her eyes trained on his moving form. Soon enough he was directly in front of Hinata’s sister, and he shot her a quick glance and a smile. She only shrunk back.  
  
“Go wait by the front door. Don’t worry, Shouyou wanted me to pick you up,” he said to her curtly. At the mention of her brother, she immediately perked up and nodded once before running for the door. Her mother attempted to follow, but was stopped when Ukai swung the pole forward, connecting with her nose and sending her sprawling backwards into the wall. Blood splashed along the walls near where her head hit and he winced. He poked her cautiously, and when she did not stir he assumed it was safe to take leave. He met up with Hinata’s sister near the entrance. She was eyeing their broken front door with mild fear.  
  
Ukai bent down to her level and she immediately took a tentative step back, eyes filled with distrust. He smiled again at her, but no smile could hide the fact that he was drenched in the internal organs of others. “I’m Ukai Keishin,” he started slowly, “I’m your brother’s volleyball coach. I know everything is scary and confusing right now, but Shouyou wants you to come with me so you can meet him and he’ll explain everything to you. Is that alright?” He asked, receiving only a nod in return. “Okay then, what’s your name princess?” he asked. The girl shifted her feet and looked down.  
  
“Natsu,” she answered shyly, her voice nothing more than a whisper.  
  
Ukai nodded and stood up, extending an arm to her after he secured his pole on his back. “Okay, Natsu. The school’s kind of far away, so it’s going to be a rough ride, okay? But I’m going to get you to your brother as fast as I can, so you have to make sure to hold on tight to me, got it?” He asked. Natsu nodded and placed her small hand in his large and bloodied one. He led her outside and situated her on the bike so she was seated in front of him on the seat. She was too small to ride on the back, and with the speed Ukai biked he was sure she would fall off the second they took off.  
  
The trip back was longer than the trip there. Now knowing that the girl was safe, he was allowed to take it easier in his aggressive pedaling. He had to slow down at curves and maneuver around holes because every time anything remotely dangerous happened, Natsu would scream, almost fall off and clutch helplessly at Ukai. Unlike Ukai, Natsu had a tendency to glance around at her surroundings as they whizzed by them. Each time her gaze was averted to the side, Ukai quickly told her to face forward or shut her eyes. The girl probably had no clue why her mother was trying to kill her, and seeing the world in the midst of Armageddon was not something that would help her psyche. Dissuaded by the wind whipping at her eyes and eliciting tears, she shut them for the rest of the ride. Ukai wished he could’ve done the same.  
  
As he was nearing the road to the school, he thought of his convenience store for the first time that day. His parents were probably home, locked in the bathroom without being able to help themselves. Ukai was tempted to bike towards them and rescue them, but with Natsu gripping tight to the bike, and the fact that all the boys were still locked in the storage room, he couldn’t risk it. From all the zombie movies Ukai had seen in his lifetime, he knew that people always looted as their first instinct. His store would’ve obviously been a prime target. His parents were probably already dead; bludgeoned by robbers or eaten by zombies.  
  
Ukai was surprised at how little that bothered him.  
  
Maybe he himself had become a zombie, desensitized to the word death, and feeling nothing but his survival instincts.  
  
Ukai was 5 minutes away from the school when it happened. Lost in his thoughts and feeling weary from the overexertion, his cognizance had slipped away for just a moment. But it was more than enough time for him to careen to the side slightly. He didn't notice the limping figure until he was crashing head-on into it. The bike jutted to a stop as it made contact, the back wheel leaving the ground as it rid itself of its passengers. Natsu screamed, and Ukai immediately reached out and wrapped her inside of him, curling around her as his back made contact with the cement. He was instantly winded as he squawked, discharging himself of saliva and breath. The metal pole skittered away from him, rolling down a ways. Ukai was dazed, his head pounding where it connected with the cement. Vision blurred, he could vaguely make out a figure pushing away a bike and staggering to its feet. Ukai pushed himself up, setting Natsu to the side. She was frozen in terror, watching with wide and tear-rimmed eyes. Besides the obvious psychological damage she’d face, she held no physical injuries.  
  
Ukai was shaky to his feet, wincing as he put pressure on a scraped knee. He could feel blood trickle down his arm, this time it was definitely his. He grimaced as he squinted at the enemy, trying to make out what exactly it was. It definitely wasn’t human, he could tell from the pallor of her skin and the emergence of blue veins. Her hair was knotted and her teeth curled back in that same gnarl that both Takeda and Hinata’s mother had. He was about to retrieve his weapon when he heard intensified groans. Looking around, he noticed a small horde had grown, at least half a dozen zombies limping towards him with ravenous eyes and mouths that dripped with drool. Two zombies were moving towards his weapon, and the chances of getting attacked while trying to retrieve it were growing each second. He turned quickly to Natsu.  
  
“Don’t move at all. Close your eyes and don’t move,” he ordered. She obeyed, crouching down with shut eyes and little hands clamped firmly around her ears. Ukai charged forward, diving at his weapon and quickly pulling it back to swing at the nearest zombie. A loud clang resounded, and the pole vibrated in his hand from the force of the hit. The creature crumbled, and he immediately took another swing at the accompanying beast. He hovered protectively over the lithe girl on the ground, swinging with both hands as a zombie lunged for his throat. It fell back with a dull thud. Alerted to the noise, others emerged from their hiding spaces, surfacing from inside stores and behind alleys. Ukai cursed internally. There was no way he could handle this many of the animals, not with Natsu defenseless and he exhausted. He took a quick strike to the nearest zombie and bent down beside Natsu.  
  
“Get on, quick!” He barked. Natsu started and climbed quickly onto his back, latching her hands around his shoulders. Ukai took off at a sprint, one hand behind him to ensure Natsu wouldn’t fall and another flogging zombies that neared his direct vicinity. Natsu buried her face in his neck, her little breaths coming out as choked sobs and he ran as fast as he possibly could in the direction of the school, grateful the zombies were as slow as elderly men with broken backs. If they went any faster than that, then the entirety of humanity would be screwed.  
  
He had long outrun the zombies when he reached the gym, stammering into the room, trailing blood that dripped down from his knee and his arm, fatigue becoming his new friend. Natsu was curled up on his back, head buried in the nape of his neck. He could feel the wetness of her tears pervading his neck but he pretended they weren’t there. He unlocked the door to the storage room, pulling it open to greet the team. They were all sitting on mats and idly walking around without much to do. The moment the door open they all jumped up and swarmed their coach. Hinata pushed to the front, noticing the orange ball on his back. Natsu caught sight of her brother and hopped down, directly into his arms.  
  
“Shouyou!” she cried, allowing herself to be pulled off her feet and swung around by her brother. Hinata affectionately nuzzled her face, kissing her hair as tears surrounded the both of them. Ukai watched with vague feelings of envy.  
  
“Coach, you’re bleeding! What happened?” Sugawara noticed, bending down to inspect his dripping arm as a speck of blood dripped to the floor beneath him. Not allowing a response, Sugawara ripped at the hem of his shirt, detaching a generous strip of cloth. He wrapped it around the wound on Ukai’s arm tightly, double knotting the end. He was about to rip off more to tend to Ukai’s leg injuries, but the coach stopped him.  
  
“It’s just a flesh wound. Don’t ruin your clothing over it. I ran into some trouble on the way back, it’ll heal on its own,” Ukai attempted to console his worried player. Still, the silver-haired boy retreated back into the storage closet, returning with a cleaning rag. He kneeled before his coach, inspecting the wound. His sweatpants were ripped around the knees, wet and matted to his skin by the blood that dyed his flesh a rancid red. To grant him better access, Sugawara rolled the leg of Ukai’s sweatpants so it bunched around his thigh. Blood oozed from the skinned flesh, trailing through the rough skin of his knee and leg. Amber eyes widened considerably at the mess, surprise overtaking his features. Ukai looked at him questioningly, but Suga quickly schooled his expression as he wound the cloth around the injury. The white rag was quickly changing shades, and the ashen-haired boy gingerly pressed against the lesion. Ukai hissed through clenched teeth at the sting of pain, Suga offering a murmur of apology. When it was done, the silver-haired third year regained his footing and wiped his hands against his shorts.  
  
“That should be good for now. I have a first-aid kit in my gym bag, but I suppose it’s not a good idea to go to the clubroom, right?” He said, averting his eyes at the thought of his two teammates locked away in there.  
  
“Right,” Ukai agreed, fidgeting slightly. A slow burn was developing in his affected leg but he pushed past it; it was just a small wound, it’d heal in time. “Right now we need to find somewhere safe to hide. It’s definitely not safe here and the school wouldn’t be a safe bet either. My store’s probably overrun as well and we should avoid any heavily populated places,” Ukai elaborated, brainstorming where he could securely place 10 high schoolers and a small child. His first thought was his grandfather’s house, hidden away in the countryside and probably protected; however, it was quite a distance away and there was no way he’d be capable of walking that distance with the team in tow. He could’ve driven them, but his car would be unable to accomodate so many passengers and he knew he wasn’t capable of driving in his current state. The Karasuno team exchanged looks, all trying to think of somewhere safe. Most of them lived in or near the town, so no house of theirs was safe. Time was not their friend at their moment, and daylight was fast dwindling as twilight began to set in. Travelling at night was the worst possible idea, and Ukai was just thinking they’d have to camp out again in the storage closet when the screeching of tires and a loud honk blew away those thoughts.  
  
It wasn’t even a half a minute after the bizarre noise when the door to the gym burst open. Everyone started, jumping to their feet and readying their weapons. The only noise filling the terse silence was the echo of the gym door slamming into the wall and the harsh breathing of Asahi and the Hinatas. Under the rays of the dying sun, a very familiar form could be made out.  
  
“Sis?” Came a surprised voice from the back.  
  
Tanaka stepped forth, eyes widened in surprise at the girl who stood before them. As Ukai’s eyes adjusted in the dim lighting, he took in the young woman who greeted them. It was obvious she was trying to make a cool and stereotypical entry, a metal bat hanging over her shoulder, with one hand on her hip; she chewed absently on gum before blowing an impressively sized bubble. When Saeko noticed her brother staring at her in disbelief, a shit-eating grin ignited on her face as she stepped forth.  
  
“Hey little bro, you still alive?” She asked, dropping the metal bat and slinging her arms around her sibling. Tanaka wheezed in her death grip but hugged her back with equal force, laughing through the entire ordeal. Ukai was surprised two people could look so happy when the world was ending.  
  
“What are you doing here, sis?” Ryuunosuke asked when he had finally pulled away, looking over her outfit. Her shoes were coated in mud and her black t-shirt was slightly ripped accompanied by splotches of dirt and blood. The metal bat, which had fallen to the floor, was coated with the same substance.  
  
“Well, I had to check up on my baby brother, right? With the world like shit, I doubt you’d be able to survive without help from your amazing big sis,” Saeko replied, flashing a peace sign and acting for all the world like the earth wasn’t teeming with the undead.  
  
Tanaka’s eyes were drawn to the bloodied bat on the ground, eyes widening as he turned to his sister. “Is it just you here?” He asked, looking into her eyes.  
  
Saeko diverted her gaze immediately, her arms dropping to her sides. “Yeah. I was out shopping and when I came home, Mom and Dad were…” she didn’t dare finish, cutting her sentence short before she could divulge what she had witnessed. Ukai understood. None of these boys had witnessed how chaotic the outside was, their only experience with the antagonists so far being Kinoshita. Like Tanaka’s parents, most everyone they had ever known had to be dead at this point; it wasn’t like surviving this hell was easy.  
  
Ukai took charge, stepping up to the girl, “How did you get here?” he asked, looking downwards at her.  
  
“I drove here, duh,” she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Ukai almost kicked himself, because even he himself realized how dumb his question was; not even 5 minutes prior they had heard the car come barreling down the road.  
  
“How many people can you fit in that car?” Ukai followed up, eagerness churning in his stomach, as he pressed closer to her. She took a tentative step back, holding her hands in between them with her palms facing the coach.  
  
“Well technically it seats 5 including the driver, but I don’t think safety’s a major concern right now,” Saeko replied, moving so her arms were crossed over her chest as she cocked her hip to the side.  
  
“Do you have a commercial license?”  
  
“No?”  
  
“Do you know how to hijack a bus?”  
  
“Yes?”  
  
“Okay that’s close enough,”  
  
Confused, Saeko could only watch as Ukai moved towards the entrance of the gym. He picked up the bloodied bat and tossed it to her. She caught it in one hand, sending him a look of utter bewilderment.  
  
“Hurry up and follow me, everyone!” Ukai barked, marching out the door. He noticed Saeko’s car, parked in the grass, hazardously close to the gym. He walked past it, the entire team in tow as he moved towards the parking lot. Luckily, it seemed none of the undead were lurking nearby, and none had approached them as they carried on. Ukai was thankful he had yet to show the adolescents the horrid conditions of the current world. Dashing to the back of the school, he led the others to the buses parked in the commercial lot. Catching his meaning, Saeko stepped past Ukai and approached the bus, bat poised; with one powerful swing she struck at the door. There was a raucous noise that seemed to surround the entire school, carrying the sound of breaking safety glass all through the area. Ukai quickly wrapped his hands around his head for cover as others did likewise, Shouyou wrapping his arms around his sister to protect her. While the shards which did scatter were small in size and almost cubical in shape, Shouyou was not willing to further risk the safety of his sister, and, quite frankly, Ukai was unwilling to face another injury today. When Ukai looked up, the glass was mostly broken, and Saeko reached her hand in to grapple with the door, unlocking it and pulling it open. Ukai ordered the team to board, standing watch outside as Saeko ducked under the steering wheel and fiddled with some wires. The engine of the bus roared to life, and Ukai was just about to hop on board when a sudden wave of nausea overcame him, drowning him in dizziness and vertigo.  
  
“Coach, you okay?” Saeko asked from her seat behind the wheel. Ukai had keeled over, hands on his knees at the sudden feeling that he was running out of air. He gasped, feeling for the second time today like he was being choked. He toppled sideways, feeling his head hit the road. The pain was numbed, and the sensations coursing through Ukai’s body were not pleasant ones.  
  
Saeko immediately abandoned her post at the wheel and hopped out. Daichi and Suga followed, with various other members of the team looking out the windows or crowding near the entrance. “Coach, what’s wrong?” Saeko demanded, nursing his head in her hands. His brain ached and his body was smarting; it felt like all of his nerves were being frayed.  
  
“I just… felt nauseous all of a sudden. Give me a minute, I’ll be fine,” he said breathlessly. But a minute of bated breath and silence later and it only steadily worsened. Ukai grit his teeth, looking at Saeko’s face through half-lidded eyes. A pang of hunger quickly overcame him, and he had to suppress his urge to jump at Saeko. What the hell was happening to him? Ukai raised a hand to his head. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sugawara fidgeting nervously, his eyes shifting with remnants of guilt.  
  
“Sugawara, what’s wrong?” He asked, his breath raspy. Suga jumped, eliciting a small gasp of surprise when his uneasiness was noticed. He quickly looked away and scuffed a foot against the ground.  
  
“Well, um… I noticed a… bite on your leg. Could it be because of that?” Suga muttered. Ukai shot up in alarm, quickly drawing back the hem of his sweatpants to expect the wound on his knee. What he noticed caused his eyes to widen,significantly so.  
  
There was a mark, just above the bloodied rag; it wasn’t deep, but enough to leave a lasting impression. The veins around the bite were much more prominent, his skin paling as if the blood fled from the vicinity of the wound. There was no doubt about it, a zombie had bit him, but when? Where? He hadn’t felt a thing at all! Was it when he and Natsu were ambushed on the way back to school? Or even before that, when he had fought against Hinata’s mother? Or… no, Ukai didn’t dare think of the alternative. What if Takeda-sensei had gotten him? That wasn’t possible, surely he would’ve felt it. Plus that was hours ago; he would’ve felt the change before now. Suga’s eyes were filled to the brim with tears; Daichi’s face a hard mask. He looked like if he showed any sort of emotion, he would break down. Ukai made sure no feelings were left on his face; he couldn’t break down in front of these kids. This was the end of the road for him, he had to leave them behind before he lost all sense of reason like Kinoshita and Sensei. He turned to Saeko and gave her a grim smile.  
  
“My grandfather has a house on the outskirts; I can give you directions there. Take the kids and wait it out or something,” he said, wheezing out every syllable.  
  
“But Coach, what’s gonna happen to you?” Daichi suddenly stepped forward, his face finally cracking as his brow furrowed inwardly. His eyes glimmered slightly and a frown was etched into his face.  
  
“I’m gonna stay here for a little longer. There’s somebody I’ve gotta say goodbye to,” Ukai explained, blinking slowly up at the young woman in front of him. Daichi and Suga exchanged a look, but nodded nonetheless. “Is there paper or anything anywhere? I want to write down the directions.” Ukai glanced around. Suga disappeared into the van and returned with a pad and pen.  
  
“It was in the glove compartment,” Suga uttered quietly, eyes shifting downwards to avoid looking his mentor in the eye.  
  
Ukai took the sheet from his him, quickly scribbling down the directions to the location. Double-checking his words, he handed the notepad back to Saeko. “Take care of them,” Ukai said softly. Saeko extended her hand and Ukai took it, pulling himself back up to his feet.  
  
“You can count on me!” Saeko said, flashing him a broad grin. It didn’t reach her eyes, and Ukai could tell she was feigning happiness to ease his worries. He pretended he didn’t catch on and sent her a smile equally as dazzling and equally as fake. They shook hands, and when they pulled away Saeko ushered the two boys back into the bus. She was gripping onto the memo pad tightly as she climbed back into her seat, gazing cursorily over the contents of the list and nodded to herself. She turned to Ukai and gave him one last salute before she pressed hard on the gas, shooting out of the lot at a dangerous speed. Ukai cursed at her carelessness, the smile falling off his face once the team was safely out of site. He pivoted on his feet, facing the school as he lumbered along. His strength had failed him, and the slow walk was all he could muster as he ventured towards the back entrance of the school. He entered, his destination clear as he stumbled down hallways, tripping over nothing as a haze settled over his mind.  
  
The door to the teacher’s office was still ajar when he entered. The room was left in the same disarray as it was when he left it, proving that the events that transpired here were not an illusion. He moved to the far corner, facing a pale body he would’ve much rather left behind. The blood from Takeda’s wound had spread considerably since he left, reaching the closet desk and dyeing the floor maroon. Ukai grimaced as he kneeled in front of his best friend, touching his cheek only to feel the coldness that resided within him. He touched their foreheads again, but this time the man before him did not stir. He did not smile up at Ukai, did not whisper a hoarse goodbye or a gentle thank you. His eyes remained closed, and Ukai was thankful he did not have to look into those lifeless brown eyes, devoid of the happiness that life had granted him. With quivering hands, paled under the overbearing queasiness he faced, he gripped the handle of the scissors lodged into Takeda’s chest. He pulled them out quickly, spattering himself with blood as they were dislodged from his chest. He cringed at the squishy noise they made from the disconnection.  
“I’m sorry I couldn’t protect them, Takeda-sensei. I’m sorry it had to come to this. I’m sorry, I’m so sorry,” Ukai muttered, tears springing to his eyes. He pulled his head away from the teacher’s, leaning back as he inhaled sharply. He squeezed his eyes shut as he plunged his hands rapidly towards his chest, feeling the scissors rip into his flesh and tear open his insides. A strangled sob ripped its way out of his throat by force, coughing out a generous amount of blood with it. He keeled inwards, burrowing his head into the nook of Takeda’s shoulder and neck. It felt like every part of his body was on fire, screaming at the feeling of the foreign object digging further into him.  
  
“Is this,” he started, cut off by a harsh cough, “Is this what it felt like for you, Sensei?” Ukai slurred. “Was it this painful for you, Sensei? Did I—Did I cause you this much pain, Sensei? I told myself I’d never hurt you, Sensei. I’m sorry Sensei, I’m so sorry,” Ukai was blubbering now, his words tumbling from his mouth like [or in] an uncontrolled waterfall . He raised his head slowly, looking back into Takeda’s stone-still face. “I-If I had know it’d come to this, I would’ve said so much more to you at our last meeting. I was afraid of you back then, y’know. Surprised I’d be scared of such a small guy? If I’d known, maybe I could’ve done this with you, at least when you could’ve responded,” he said, before he pressed their lips together. Takeda’s lips were cold and unresponsive, but it still caused Ukai’s heart to beat faster.  
  
“How would you have reacted if I did that? Huh, Sensei? I would’ve loved to see that blush on your face, one last time. It was hard to hold that back after all this time. Even when I last saw you, I would’ve kissed you, but I thought you’d bite me. I’m sorry, Sensei, I’m sorry for being such a coward. Couldn’t even tell a dying man I loved him, huh?” He said.  
  
At last fatigue was weighing on Ukai, coaxing him to close his eyes. He kept his head attached to Takeda’s, reaching behind the body of the other man, and grappling feebly with the ties still attached to his hands. One he had them undone, he locked his fingers with Takeda’s. They were small, they were riddled with callouses, and they were freezing. They were dwarfed in Ukai’s large hands, caked in blood and blisters. When he closed his eyes to blink, they didn’t open again. They stayed shut, closing off the last of his tears that didn’t dare fall. All that was left of the life of Ukai Keishin was the last of his words. They were soft, and they vanished into the air, never once falling upon the ears of any living being.  
  
“See you soon, my friend.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops, more angst! I originally wanted to keep Ukai around until the end, but I thought it'd be more dramatic if I killed him off?? Sorry???
> 
> I'm not really happy with my writing for this, I have a habit of having events pass by really quickly. I probably could've squeezed this into 2 chapters if I really wanted to, but eh.
> 
> Saeko's here! When I first planned this, I actually completely forgot about her and some other siblings, but she's too badass to leave out of a zombie AU. Still debating on if Akiteru should make an appearance as well?
> 
> Lucky for you guys, next chapter won't be seeing much action in terms of gore and pain, so I guess that's a plus? I'm trying to keep to a weekly updating schedule but who knows how it'll go? 
> 
> Thanks to my betas Ranjani and Kat (again) for actually making this fic readable.  
> Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a new Zombie AU that I've come up with! I'm very sorry in advance for everything that's going to happen starting now. This chapter is a pretty short one, I intend the others to be much more longer. Since this will include a lot of characters, I'm thinking a chapter or 2 dedicated to one team before I move on to the next. I am terrible at writing but great at procrastination, so updates will be very infrequent, sorry! Anyways, I hope you like it, and if you do, don't read any other fanfiction I wrote. Especially TakeOver Zone.
> 
> I'll probably change the title later, I suck at naming things. Sorry!
> 
> Special thanks to my betas Kat and Ranjani!


End file.
